‘I don’t believe that I would be given a position that I don’t have any authority to move things on,’ says Rural Economic Development Minister Bernadette Jordan.

Rural Economic Development Minister Bernadette Jordan was sworn in to her newly created cabinet post on Jan. 14. Critics say her file is political cover for the Liberals’ lagging rural agenda. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Shifting responsibility for getting better internet connectivity in rural areas to a new cabinet minister may just be a “smoke screen” for the Liberals dropping the ball on the file and other rural issues, say opposition MPs. But Liberals and stakeholders say there’s time for real progress on broadband and other rural files before the fall election.

Gerald Butts has removed himself from the daily political grind of strategizing how to keep the Liberals in power. But observers say it's unlikely he will be consigned to watch the campaign unfold from the sidelines.

SNC-Lavalin risks a takeover if it's convicted. But aside from likely outrage in Quebec, Ottawa can find other builders for its infrastructure plans if the company is banned from bidding on federal contracts, experts say

The Quebec company had extensive access to government ministers and top staffers, and was the only organization registered to lobby for allowing deferred prosecution agreements for white collar crimes.